Answering Tough Callings
by LAGC
Summary: Amy's journal entry reveals her take on Face's reunion with Leslie Becktall.


Disclaimer: I do not own nor did I create any of the A-team characters (main or support) nor do I own nor did I create any of the episodes. That credit is due to Stephen J. Cannell and his associates.

Spoiler Alert: Based off Season 2 Episode 3 "The Only Church in Town" therefore major plot elements are revealed.

Author's Notes: I feel as if I'm taking a bit of a risk here, since I have yet to see a purely Amy P.O.V piece. Every time I watch this episode I always wish there was a scene between Leslie and Amy. I wrote this a while back and finally decided what the heck I'll post it.

Summary: Amy's journal entry reveals her take on Face's reunion with Leslie Becktall.

**Answering Tough Callings: by LAGC**

**000000000000000**

Journal Entry

Oct. 11, 1983

I knew something was off almost immediately.

Well that is after I ranted to Face about being at the wrong apartment complex because he hadn't told me he moved. When I quieted down and glanced around the room I realized that all the guys seemed so tense, especially Face. Even Murdock's diversionary antics with that fancy remote control device weren't breaching the awkwardness.

I heard Face complaining and questioning why the Team wouldn't do this job "for him". Hannibal laid some logic on him but Face wasn't having any of it. Face was nearly frantic. Clearly he was deeply annoyed by Hannibal's lack of support. Between you and me, I think he was hurt that Hannibal and the guys didn't instantly jump up to assist him. They were balking at the idea that a person, named Leslie, was actually in any trouble. Face insisted that he knew her and he could tell she was in danger. Then he declared that one way or another he was going to answer her call for help. I have to admit I was surprised that the Colonel was so blasé about the situation.

Face passed a comment about "not being important enough" to the Team for them to help him. He was clearly feeling insulted but he'd never admit aloud to his wounded feelings. I watched as Face reverted to his typical survival technique. He turned the heated situation into a cool business deal. He simply announced that he'd hire the Team to do the job. Hannibal accepted the deal and put me in charge of the accounting. I still had no idea what was going on.

Eventually Murdock filled me in. Face had gotten a letter from his college sweetheart. The love he hadn't seen since before he enlisted. Face was convinced that this, Leslie, was in serious trouble and needed the Team's help. The rest, particularly Hannibal, weren't so sure. After all, in the letter, Leslie hadn't come right out and said she was in trouble. She just made vague claims about needing to account for decisions she made in life and she sent back Face's fraternity pin.

The next day, amid our usual cloud of chaos, we were on a plane bound for Ecuador. B. A. was unconscious - of course, and Hannibal had joined Murdock in the cockpit. Face and I had the cabin basically to ourselves. That's when he told me his story. In a rare moment of gut wrenching honesty Face told me everything. He ended it by saying, "She was gone. And I never knew why". His voice was so raw when he said that. I could hear the echo of Five Year Old Face saying the same thing about his mother. I had never seen the him so vulnerable

After that conversation, I began to understand the whole picture. .

Faceman believed his friends were judging him and in a way rejecting him. What Face didn't understand was that the guys were just trying to protect him. I realized after this conversation, what the guys had already known for fifteen years: Face only joined the Army because Leslie had jilted him. Then because he enlisted, he became a POW and endured that hell. Now he was a wanted fugitive. All because of an impulsive choice of a distraught broken hearted young man. Leslie's desertion had awakened all his repressed pain from being abandoned by his parents. It reinforced his belief that he was unlovable and unworthy. That belief had driven him for so long. Face had dealt with so much misery -physical and emotional, all because Leslie had inexplicably deserted him all those years ago.

That's why the guys were resistant to rescue Leslie. They were angry with her for hurting Face, and they were worried that he was just going to get hurt again. They weren't against helping him. Really, they were just trying to shield him from any new pain. Hell, after Face told me his story, I was angry with this Leslie too. On that plane, I decided that given the chance, I was going to make sure this person understood how much damaged she had caused.

When we got to Ecuador we discovered the real reason Leslie had disappeared. She hadn't left him for another guy like Face had believed all this time. Well not exactly. She had left him for God, she had become a nun! Face was rather shell shocked.

And he had been right that Leslie was in danger. The orphanage in which Leslie served was being held hostage. Of course the Guys swiftly defeated the criminal gang that had been terrorizing the nuns and orphans. They loaded the thugs up and drove off with them. Hannibal told me to stay at the orphanage so I started to help the nuns clean up the compound. Eventually I was working side by side with Leslie, aka Sister Teresa, and we got to talking.

"Oh. I'm just so grateful you all came. We were in such a bad spot. I never expected Templeton to come when I sent him the letter. I was so scared that things would end badly here. I just wanted to try to explain ... I guess. You know before it was too late." Leslie told me.

I paused in my work and smiled at the nun.

"You know I've known Face for a while now. I've never seen him as worked up and determined as he was after he read your letter."

"Face. Just how did Templeton get that name?" inquired Leslie.

I chuckled and said, "Well I'm not sure who gave it to him, but the Team started calling him that in Nam. Murdock says it's because Faceman is so handsome and charming that he can elicit the answer yes from anyone ... without even having to ask the question."

I smiled and added, "I've seen him do it. Hannibal calls it magic."

Now it was Leslie's turn to laugh, "When we were in school, Templeton told me about some of the stunts he had pulled while at Angel's Guardians. I always thought he was just spinning tales to amuse me. I guess they weren't stories afterall."

We worked quietly for a few minutes more. Once the courtyard was in order we moved on to the wine cellar. This task was going to take more time because the scum balls had really trashed it. Leslie lamented all the damages and depleted supplies. Then she worried about the cost to restock everything. The orphanage was not well off. I reassured her that Hannibal and the guys wouldn't leave them in the lurch or under supplied. I even joked that I wouldn't be surprised if Face hadn't arranged for a full restocking by the time the guys got back. I caught myself before I used the phrase "conned up" because I had a feeling that Face would be uncomfortable being portrayed as a con man to Leslie.

"How long have you been with the A-team? Leslie asked me.

"Oh about a year now. I hired them to help rescue my friend, my mentor actually. Afterwards, I insisted they let me tag along. I was so impressed by them and caught up in all the good they accomplish. I just couldn't walk away."

"I can certainly understand the calling to be part of something that brings good and hope," Leslie commented. "That is why I took my vows. Why I had to walk away from Templeton. That was the hardest part. I should have told him about my calling right from the start. Then we got involved and I got confused. I always knew, deep down, what I had to do but couldn't work up the courage to tell him. Shamefully I just ran off." She hung her head and sighed.

Then she continued, "I've followed all the news about Templeton and the rest of the Team. I've read many of your articles about their adventures. My family, back in the States, sends your newspaper to me in their care packages. I've never for a moment believed the horrible accusations the military makes against them. I know that Templeton wouldn't commit the crimes they charge him of. Besides criminals don't do all the heroic things you've reported about them."

"They are certainly heroic," I agreed then added, "Not that any one of them would let you call him a hero. To them, they are just a unit trying to survive. They really are all rather bashful about the whole thing."

"Bashful. Now there is a word I would apply to Templeton. He hardly ever talked about himself while we were in school. I remember when he admitted to me he was an orphan. He said it as if it was a strike against him. Like he needed to be ashamed of it." Leslie paused here, lost in the memory for a moment. Then she revealed, "That's why I'm here. When I took my vows I pleaded to work with orphans. I guess it was my own way to atone for leaving Templeton in the cowardly way I did."

Ya know, the day I landed in Ecuador I had been determined to tell Leslie off and teach her a lesson. But once I had the opportunity, I understood that doing so was unnecessary, even cruel. Clearly Leslie had realized all the pain she had caused Face and had berated herself enough over the years. There was nothing more I needed to add.

What I did do was take Leslie's hands and say, "Well he knows the whole truth now. I know that means a lot to him."

"Thank you for being so kind. I hope Templeton will understand everything. And that I've undone some of the hurt I caused him. I wish I had been brave enough to honestly explain it to him all those years ago," was the nun's tearful reply.

I felt compelled to tell her that I thought Face was going to be much better off knowing the whole story. At the very least he knew her leaving hadn't been because he wasn't good enough or had done something wrong. But I held my tongue because it somehow didn't feel like my place to say that. I don't know, it sort of felt like I'd be betraying Face or letting him down if I did.

I simply had to say one more thing.

"I'll tell you this, Leslie. You must have had one extremely strong calling"

We shared a rueful smile.

Just then the Guys returned ... with new supplies.


End file.
